The present invention relates to a game system and program.
There are many game systems known in the art that enable players to enjoy a game such as a shooting game, a sports game, or a hand-to-hand fighting game while viewing game images that are displayed on a screen. A game system of this type is usually provided with a function called a replay function, which enables each player to use this replay function to see the state of his or her own game-play after the game has ended, from a viewpoint that differs from that used in the game itself. A prior-art technique for implementing a game system having such a replay function is disclosed in International Publication No. WO96/00601, for example.
However, conventional game systems having replay functions always use a predetermined virtual camera for creating replay images. They are therefore unable to present replay images that show the effects of the player""s game-play during a game. The created replay images are therefore monotonous and uniform, so it is not possible to increase the variety of such replay images.
The present invention was devised in the light of the above described technical problem and has as an objective thereof the provision of a game system and program that enable a greater variety of replay images, removing any monotony from such replay images.
In order to solve the above described technical problems, the present invention relates to a game system which creates a game image, comprising: means for writing virtual camera change data as replay data into a replay data storage means for storage when a second object within a plurality of objects has come into a capture state within a game; and means for changing virtual cameras that are used in the creation of replay images, based on the virtual camera change data comprised within the thus-stored replay data. A computer-usable information storage medium in accordance with this aspect of the invention comprises information (a program) for implementing (executing) the above described means. A program embodied on an information storage medium or in a carrier wave in accordance with this aspect of the invention comprises a processing routine for implementing (executing) the above described means.
When the second object is in a capture state in accordance with this aspect of the invention, virtual camera change data is stored as replay data. During replay processing, virtual cameras are changed (switched or selected) based on this virtual camera change data. This makes it possible to see different created replay images, depending on whether or not the second object is in a capture state. As a result, it is possible to dramatically increase the variety of replay images, obviating the monotony of such replay images.
In the game system, information storage medium, and program in accordance with the present invention, the capture state may be a lock-on state in a shooting game. This makes it possible to provide a variety of replay images, so that the player of a shooting game can identify which object the player is aiming at, from the replay images.
The present invention also relates to a game system which creates a game image, comprising: means for writing virtual camera change data as replay data into a replay data storage means for storage when an action has occurred between first and second objects or when that action has become possible; and means for changing virtual cameras that are used in the creation of replay images, based on the virtual camera change data comprised within the thus-stored replay data. A computer-usable information storage medium in accordance with this aspect of the invention comprises information (a program) for implementing (executing) the above described means. A program embodied on an information storage medium or in a carrier wave in accordance with this aspect of the invention comprises a processing routine for implementing (executing) the above described means.
When an action (such as a capture, strike, attack, defense, collision, or hit) has occurred between first and second objects in accordance with this aspect of the present invention, or when such an action has become possible, virtual camera change data is stored as replay data. During replay processing, changes in the virtual cameras are based on this virtual camera change data. This makes it possible to dramatically increase the variety of replay images to ensure that the player can see different created replay images depending on whether or not an action has occurred between the first and second objects in the game, or whether or not such an action has become possible.
The present invention further relates to a game system which creates a game image, comprising: means for writing virtual camera change data as replay data in a replay data storage means for storage, when it has been determined that first and second objects are in a given positional relationship, based on position data of the first and second objects; and means for changing virtual cameras that are used in the creation of replay images, based on the virtual camera change data comprised within the thus-stored replay data. A computer-usable information storage medium in accordance with this aspect of the invention comprises information (a program) for implementing (executing) the above described means. A program embodied on an information storage medium or in a carrier wave in accordance with this aspect of the invention comprises a processing routine for implementing (executing) the above described means.
According to this aspect of the invention, when it is determined that there is a given positional relationship between the first and second objects, based on position data of the first and second objects, virtual camera change data is stored as replay data. During replay processing, changes in the virtual cameras are based on this virtual camera change data. This makes it possible to increase the variety of replay images to ensure that the player can see different created replay images depending on whether or not a given positional relationship has occurred between the first and second objects in the game.
In the game system, information storage medium, or program in accordance with the present invention, a virtual camera used in the creation of replay images may be changed to a virtual camera directed towards the second object from the first object or a player""s viewpoint, based on the virtual camera change data. This makes it possible to create replay images that appear to be from a position where the second object can be observed to enter the field of view.
In the game system, information storage medium, or program in accordance with the present invention, a virtual camera used in the creation of replay images may be changed to a virtual camera disposed in close proximity to the second object, based on the virtual camera change data. This makes it possible to increase the impression of replay images, by enabling the creation of a replay image as seen from the side of the second object.
In the game system, information storage medium, and program in accordance with the present invention, a packet necessary for the replay processing of the current frame may be determined from among packets used for replay processing and be written into the replay data storage means as replay data corresponding to the current frame, for storage; and the virtual camera change data may be written into the replay data storage means as one of the packets used for replay processing, for storage. This makes it possible to use the replay data storage means efficiently, with no wastage, by selecting only a packet necessary for the replay processing of the current frame for storage in the replay data storage means. Any change in the specifications of the replay data can be accommodated in a simple fashion, even if it becomes necessary to store a new type of replay data.
In the game system, information storage medium, and program in accordance with the present invention, virtual camera change data may be written into the replay data storage means as replay data, on condition that there is a change in the virtual camera change data from the previous frame. This makes it possible to prevent a state in which unnecessary data is stored in the replay data storage means, when situations occur such as not change in the virtual camera change data for a long period of time. Therefore, the storage capacity used by the replay data storage means can be greatly reduced.
In the game system, information storage medium, and program in accordance with the present invention, after the virtual cameras have been changed on the basis of the virtual camera change data, further change of virtual cameras may be prohibited until a given period of time has elapsed, even if further change of virtual cameras is directed. This makes it possible to prevent an unpleasant state in which the replay images from virtual cameras are switched frequently, since further changes in the virtual camera are prohibited for a given period of time, even if such a change is directed repeatedly.